Page 138 - Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman
P. 138
Unseen Hands
Completely puzzled, Tekle looked at his saints, then at the missionary. "Is something wrong? Brother Wendell, could you please tell me what is going on?"
Troubled by the whole situation. Brother Wendell left without another word. Tekle felt disturbed when a lady prophesied against Brother Wendell. Tekle dismissed the congregation and went home utterly exhausted. When Tekle and Erkenesh prayed, soon after leaving the church, the Lord told them not to say one word against Brother Wendell or oppose him in any way.
Very early the next morning. Brother Wendell knocked at Tekle and Erkenesh's door. "Tekle, are you there? I want to talk to you," he called.
Groggy from his work and the privations that he had endured, Tekle was disoriented. As he fumbled to find his clothes, anxiety choked him so that he could not find his voice. Brother Wendell called twice more, but by the time Tekle dressed enough to be presentable and opened the door, the missionary was gone.
Back at the hotel. Brother Wendell's aides took ad vantage of the situation to harp on Tekle's so-called false teaching. "We will never get recognition and respect from this government if they hear about these things being taught in our churches. Something must be done."
Convinced that Tekle had wholly turned against him. Brother Wendell went to the commander of police that morning, November 25,1971, and stated that the United Pentecostal Church did not endorse or promote the fanaticism that Tekle allowed in the church there.
The commander could care less about differences be tween the missionary and Tekle, but he saw this as a long- looked-for chance to move against Tekle and the church.
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